Product Details

• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Bennett Media Corpor
• VHS Release Date: January 1, 2002
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6302127432
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #332,257 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

There are those who maintain that sailing cannot be taught in a book or on a video, that only time on the water can develop a feel for the boat. Unfortunately, while informative and potentially useful, Steve Colgate's Learn to Sail is not going to convert any of the skeptics.

Colgate is, with his Offshore Sailing School, one of the most recognized names in sailing instruction, and it is not his instruction that is the downfall of this tape. Indeed, Colgate almost knows too much, as his instruction of forgotten 1980s television stars Audrey Landers and Sam Jones (his "students" for this video) occasionally strays into topics better left off a beginners video.

Rather than material, though, it is production that handicaps this video. It's filmed aboard a small Soling day sailor, and there is little room for close-up camera work to show the techniques of boat handling. The tape opens with a dockside tour of the boat, covering fundamental sailing terminology (with the aid of some computer graphics). With an introductory vocabulary established, Colgate and his students set out on the water. This segment, filmed from a chase boat, offers little more than some attractive photography of a sailboat maneuvering, together with Colgate's occasionally exasperated instructions to his students. A hidden joy, for anyone who has taught sailing, is watching Colgate coax his two students through the basics of boat handling, correcting them with increasing frustration as the same mistakes are repeated.

All told, though, it's a reasonable introduction to small-boat sailing. As part of an on-the-water course, or for someone who has spent time on a boat but has never really known what was going on, it would work. But while there may not be many better videos out there, as a stand-alone introduction for a complete novice this tape scatters short of the mark. --Nick Strauss

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great video for the the new sailor- Ships Ahoy Matie, February 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Learn to Sail [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I found this to be a good video for the beginer. As being new to sailing myself, I picked up some real good pointers such as, raisng the sails, terminology, sailing in different wind positions and man over board ect.. I would recomend this video to anyone interested in sailing. I show this to my friends before I take them sailing and it helps them to be better crew member. They have a better understanding of what is going on and I have greater peace of mind.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Break out the Disco Ball, March 30, 2001

By 

"radarman90" (Rochester, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Learn to Sail [VHS] (VHS Tape)

First off this is a great video content-wise. The worst part about this video is It looks to have been filmed late 70's early 80's. There are several points where the sound cuts out and background noise like, someone hammering a steel drum, over powers the instructor and students.

The content however is top notch! It was very helpful. The quality of instruction is just superb. Many books I have seen showing proper technique show photos from this series. The boat they use does not lend itself to 2 more people required, so the soundman and cameraman ride next to the sailboat in a powerboat, which as you guessed it makes more noise than the instructor. The live sailing demonstrations do not show line handling and steering as well as I would have liked. However this is all shown very well dockside.

Albeit the sound is poor and the video needs to be refilmed, this is still a great first time sailor's video. It replaces several weeks of in class instruction, and can be watched over and over again.

Great Video.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great video for the the new sailor- Ships Ahoy Matie, February 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Learn to Sail [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I found this to be a good video for the beginer. As being new to sailing myself, I picked up some real good pointers such as, raisng the sails, terminology, sailing in different wind positions and man over board ect.. I would recomend this video to anyone interested in sailing. I show this to my friends before I take them sailing and it helps them to be better crew member. They have a better understanding of what is going on and I have greater peace of mind.